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With fat transfer, Columbus, Ohio plastic surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Donaldson, improves youthful volume in the face. Used as an additional therapy to a facelift surgery or used alone, fat transfer uses ones own fat to plump the tissue of aging areas of the face.

Columbus, OH, plastic surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Donaldson

Historically, the steps for a plastic surgeon to take in treating an aging face was to lift, tighten, stretch and smooth the skin, but now we know that this just redrapes the skin over the same thinning, underlying tissue.

Columbus, OH (Vocus)July 20, 2010 -

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, soft tissue fillers increased 7% from 2008 to 2009 where botulinum toxin type A usage decreased 4%. This data simply reinforces the message that Dr. Jeffrey Donaldson has been telling all of his patients, “volume in the face is the latest treatment of aging.”

Reports Dr. Donaldson, a plastic surgeon in Columbus, Ohio, “Fat transfer or fat grafting is one of the latest techniques to restoring volume to the face, to achieve a youthful, natural facial appearance.”

Recently seen on Fox 28 on July 15, 2010, Dr. Donaldson discusses a combination therapy of fat transfer with eyelid surgery and facelift. “You can’t just pull it tight, and hope that it looks ok. We really need to fill these areas and contour them with a natural soft look.”

Dr. Donaldson comments, “Historically, the steps for a plastic surgeon to take in treating an aging face was to lift, tighten, stretch and smooth the skin, but now we know that this just redrapes the skin over the same thinning, underlying tissue.”

The new approach is to rejuvenate the face completely by restoring tissue volume where it has faded or decreased with age. This may include fat grafts with or without the addition of hyaluronic acid filler such as Restylane and Juvederm. A combination of treatments are evaluated on a per patient basis with the goal of filling the deeper tissues which results in the skin being pushed out and wrinkles smooth more naturally.

But unlike hyaluronic acid fillers whose effects fade with time, fat transfer only has to be done once for permanent results. After the surgeon removes the fat from the body and purifies it, and injects it to an area of the face, the fat will survive where injected and provide lasting effects through stem cell activity. Dr. Donaldson reports that it is quite common to see many patients with ongoing improvements in skin tone, pore size and overall appearance for several years following the procedure.

“It’s a small amount of fat … it’s small enhancements that tend to take on the blood supply of the surrounding tissue so you can have a nice, soft appearance. So the risks, inevitably, a little bit of bruising, some swelling, but after a week or two it fades out nicely,” comments Dr. Donaldson.

Not only is fat transfer ideal for smoothing wrinkles, it also smoothes deep acne scars, damage from radiation and skin grafts. Unlike fillers, fat transfer only has to be done once for has permanent results.

In private practice in Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Donaldson is a fellowship-trained surgeon with subspecialty-fellowship training with some of the most influential leaders in the plastic surgery field. He teaches medical students, resident surgeons and serves as a media expert on a variety of plastic surgery topics. In 2010, Dr. Donaldson was honored with a Patients’ Choice recognition.